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Bulls adapting well to new style

Two games into a new regime, it's too early to call the Bulls championship contenders.

But it is pretty clear what the Chicago Bulls are trying to accomplish under first-year coach Fred Hoiberg: play small, with a big lineup.

Basically, what the Bulls are doing is a 4-out, 1-in alignment with rotating post players.

Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic take turns in the post, as do Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Jimmy Butler will set up down low, hoping to take advantage of smaller defenders. And any time the Bulls get a mismatch, they'll try to exploit it inside.

"I really like this offense because we are playing beautiful, playing for each other, a lot of assists," Mirotic said after Wednesday's 115-110 victory at Brooklyn. "It's great."

The offense is nothing revolutionary, but it does keep the floor spread, setting up both 3-point shots and drives to the basket. When the 3-point shots are falling, and there's a bad opponent like Brooklyn on the floor, the points come easily. The Bulls went 14-for-28 from long range against the Nets.

The Bulls might have the best depth in the NBA, and Hoiberg is taking advantage. He has given 10 guys regular minutes in the opening two games, and the balanced scoring has been impressive.

Against the Nets, Butler led six players in double figures with 24 points. Through two games, Butler is averaging 20.5 points, Mirotic is at 18.5 and Derrick Rose 16.5.

Gasol hasn't gotten rolling yet. Noah has yet to score. Rookie Bobby Portis, a star in the preseason, hasn't even played.

"It's only two games, we always have room to improve," Hoiberg said after Wednesday's win. "Do I love the way that we played these two games? Of course. We had some ups and downs, but we've still got to get better."

In some ways, this offense is built for Mirotic. He's felt right at home because the scheme enables him to use his multiple skills - 3-point shooting, attacking the basket and scoring in the post.

Butler's in a similar situation, though he's not quite the 6-foot-10 matchup nightmare Mirotic can be.

"There is no way you can play him," Rose said of Mirotic at bulls.com. "With the freedom he has, he is able to take any shot that he wants. I love his effort on the defensive end. … I just love our team."

The other obvious benefit of having the floor spread is it opens driving lanes for the guards. That's perfect for Rose and Aaron Brooks, while it also plays to the strengths of E'Twaun Moore, who has hit 9 of 13 shots in the two games.

"If we continue to play like that, I think we are going to be hard to beat," Butler said in Brooklyn.

The Bulls should get a nice test Friday against 2-0 Detroit at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Bulls haven't started 3-0 since the 1997-98 season.

After the Brooklyn game, Hoiberg sounded much like former coach Tom Thibodeau in the way he stressed the negatives.

"Too many turnovers," Hoiberg added. "Any time you turn the ball over 20 times, that is not good. We put them on the foul line too many times (28) as well.

"As for the offense, when we did get a shot up we were efficient. But you can't make a habit of turning the ball over that many times."

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